Dairy-Free Tapioca Pudding

This recipe for homemade dairy-free tapioca pudding is sure to be hit at your house, so make a big batch. Before cooking, soak the tapioca so it has time to absorb some of the nondairy milk. Soaking helps prevent scorching that sometimes happens when tapioca beads settle on the bottom of the pan. In the summertime, add fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries to this nondairy treat.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Cooling time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings (about 2/3 cups each)

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

2-3/4 cup plain or vanilla soymilk (or your choice of nondairy milk)

1 egg (or equivalent amount of cholesterol-free egg replacer)

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, tapioca, soymilk, and egg. Stir and then let soak for 5 minutes.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a full boil (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat.

Stir in the almond extract (if desired). Let the tapioca cool for 20 minutes, and then stir again.